Apparatus for producing electrical connecting elements



April 21, 1931. c. o. KNUUTI 1,801,278

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS Filed Feb. 19,1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 21, 1931. c. o. KNUUTI APPARATUS FORPRODUCING ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS Filed Feb. 19, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet 2 4 m 1 w w. H |l.l w F 7, m 1 mm QMWY Q MN 7 I A w 9w QN\\ .Q W mN Nw .G 1 M QQ.

Patented Apr. 21, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES OTTO KNUUTI,OF BERWYN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COM- PANY, I1TCORPORATED, F NEW YORK, N. 5., A CORFGIKAZ GN OF NEW YORK APPARATUS FORPRODUCZEG ELEGTEECAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS Application-filed February 19,1929. Serial No. 341,265.

This invention relates to apparatus for producing electrical connectingelements, and more particularly to apparatus for producing shortinsulated strap wires for interconnecting electrical apparatus.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficientapparatus whereby insulated electrical connecting elements ofpredetermined length may be, produced economically and with a minimumamount of manual labor. p i

In accordance with the above object there is provided in one embodimentof the invention, an apparatus for producing short insulated strapwires, wherein an insulated electrical conductor is advanced from asupply thereof through a pair of open jaw members, whereupon themovement of .a hand lever in onedirection serves to close the jawmembers so as to grip the conductor therebetween. A severing blademovable with oneof the jaw members severs a portion of predeterminedlength from the end of the conductor. By a further movement of the handlever in the same direction the severed portion of the conductor iscarried into a pair of spaced slotted knives which sever the insulationat predetermined positions spaced from the ends of the conductor and 3ethereafter move apart to strip, the severed end portions oftheinsulation, thereby producing a strap wire having bared conductor 1ends of predetermined length. Upon the release of the hand lever theparts return to their normal or starting positions, whereupon thefinished strap wire is ejected and the above described cycle ofoperation is repeated. V r

A more complete understandingof the invention will be had from thefollowing detailed description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view partlyin section of an apparatus'embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section'taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1,with the jaw members shown in their open positions;

Figs. 3 and 4; are fragmentary plan and 5 side elevational views,respectively, of a portion of the structure shown in Figs. 1 and l 2,with the aw members shown in theirclosed positions;

Flg. 5 1s a fragmentary plan section showing the cam which operates thejaw memhers; Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail section taken on line 6-6 ofFig. 1, and

Fig. 7 is a detail view of a strap wire produced by the apparatus shownin Figs. 1 to i 6, inclusive.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

it will be observed that a main supporting projecting upwardly from thesupporting frame 10.

The upper jaw memberlt is provided at one end with a portion 18 ofreduced width extending downwardly at right angles from the main portionthereof whereby it is secured to the shaft 16 so as to be rotatabletherewith. The lower aw member 15 is pivoted at one end upon the shaft16, the pivoted end thereof being bifurcated, as indicated at 19 (Fig.3), so as to straddle the reduced portion 18 of the upper jaw member.The up per and lower jaw members are provided with cooperatingsemi-circular slots or grooves 20-20 for accommodating an insulatedelectrical conductor 22 drawn from a supply (not shown). A springpressed pin 23 mounted in a recess 24 provided in the lower jaw memherand hearing upwardly against the bottom of the upper jaw member servesto normally hold the aw members in an open position, as shown in Fig. 2.

Arms 25 25 projecting outwardly from the bifurcated end of the lower awmember are adapted to engage adjustable stop pins 26, 26 threaded in theframe 10 for limiting the counter-clockwise movement of the lower jawmember (Fig. 2). A vertically reciprocable plunger 28bears upwardlyagainst the 7 bottom of the lower jaw member under the pressure of acompression spring 29 whereby the lower jaw member is normally held inthe position shown in Fig. 2, wherein the arms 25 engage the stop pins26. A downwardly projecting arm 30 formed integral. with the upperjaw'member 14 extends through an elongated slot 31 in the frame 10 andinto a notch 32 in a horizontal plunger 33 slidably journaled in theframe. A reduced end portion 34 of the plunger 33 projects outwardlyfrom the frame and carries a roller 35 adapted to be'engaged by aface'cam 37 formed at the upper end of an operating lever 38; The lever38 is secured to a reduced end portion of a horizontalshaft 40 rotatablyjournaled in the frame 10 and is provided with a suitable handle 41positioned within convenient reach of an operator. Itwill be observedthat upon the movement of the lever 38 in a counterclockwise direction(Fig. 1), the plunger 33 is moved to the left by the cam 37 (F 2),thereby moving the upper jaw member 14 in a clockwise direction. Themovement of the lever 38is limited in either direction by re silientstops 43 and 44 secured to the frame 10. Secured to an arm 45 projectingtransversely from the upper'jawmember 14 is a severing. blade 46designed and arranged to sever a predetermined length from the end of vthe conductor upon the downward movement of the upper jaw-member.

A pair of verticall disposed levers 48-48 are pivoted at one end uponspaced pins 49'49 secured to the frame 10 and projectmg outwardly fromthe rear face thereof. It

will be noted that the frame 10 is cut away,

I as indicated at 50 (Fig. 1) to permitthe free movement of the levers48 between the frame and the supporting standard 11; A helical spring 51secured at opposite ends to pins 52-452 carried by the levers 48 servesto normally urge the levers toward each other against opposite sides ofa cam 53 secured to a reduced end portion 54 of the shaft 40. The cam 53is designed so. that upon the movement of the operating lever 38 in acounter-clockwise direction (Fig. 1), the upper ends of the levers 48are spread apart in opposition to the tension of the spring 51. Theupper end of each of the levers 48 is bifurcated and carries aninsulation cutting and stripping knife 56. These knives. are providedwith substantially V-shaped notches 57-57 for receiving the conductor,the notcheshaving cutting edges designed'to sever the insulation on theconductor as it is inserted in the grooves by the downward movement ofthejaw members as hereinafter described. It will be understood that thesevered portions of the insulation are stripped from the ends of theconductor by'the knives of the strippers 56 as they are moved outwardlyby the cam 53.

.A pair of oppositely disposed angular guide fingers 5858 are pivoted atone end to opposite sides of the upper jaw member 14 (Fig. 3). The freeends of the guide fingers 58 are slotted, as indicated at 59 (Fig. 4) toaccommodate theinsulated conductor 22. A helical spring 60 serves tonormally urge the guide fingers 58 toward each other and against stoppins 6161 secured to opposite sides of the lower jaw member 15. As shownin Fig. 1, the guide fingers 58 are spac-ed'from the jaw members so asto accommodate the stripping knives 56 therebetween. By thisconstruction, the guide fingers 58cooperate with the jaw members 14 and15 to prevent the bending of the conductor when it is insorted in theslots 57 of the strippers. During the stripping operation, the guidefingers 58 are moved outwardly by thestrippers .56 and are returned totheir normal positions by the spring-60 upon the returnmovement A pairof ejecting members 62-62 are pivoted at their upper ends to oppositesides of an upwardly extending arm 63 formed integral with theupper jawmember 14. The upper and lower jaw members are provided with spacedslots 6464 for accommodating the lower portions of the ejecting members62. It will be understood-by referring to Fig. 2 that theejectingm'embers are provided with reduced lower end portions '65-65'designed to extend downwardly bethe frame 10. The construction is suchthat duringthe last portion of the counter-clockwise movement of theupper jaw member 14 ig. 2), the ejecting members 62 are'rocked in acounter-clockwise direction due to their engagementv withthe'pins 68,whereby the completed strap wire is ejected from the open jaw membersand the cooperating guide fingers 58. After engaging the stop 44, thelever 38 is momentarily released by the operator whereupon a springpressed plunger (Fig 1) returns the lever to its normal or startingposition. I This slight movement of the lever 38 lowers the upper jawmember sufficiently to'release the ejecting members 62 from engagementwith the pins 68 whereupon a leaf spring 71 returns the ejecting membersto their normal positions. One end of the leaf spring 71 is secured tothe arm 63 of the upper jaw member and the opposite end thereof pressesagainst a pin 72 interconnecting the ejecting members.

Means is provided for intermittently advancing a predetermined length ofthe conductor 22 through the upper and lower jaw lit) with slots 7777formed in the guide tube j 74. Gripping fingers 7878 are arranged to befreely movable in the slots 76 and 77 and are secured to the free endsof leaf springs 7 97 9 attached to the sleeve 75, the

leaf springs serving to normally hold the gripping fingers disengagedfrom the conductor, as shown in Fig, 1. By pressing the gripping fingers78 toward each other the conductor is firmly gripped therebetween andmay then be readily advanced through the jaw members 14 and 15 by movingthe sleeve toward'the bracket 73. Movement of'the sleeve 75 is limitedon the forward stroke by. the bracket 73 and its movement on the returnstroke is limited by a stop collar 80 which is adjustable along the tube7 i whereby the length of feed may be varied to produce strap wires ofvarious lengths. A dog 81 pivoted in av slot 82 formed in the bracket 73is arranged to grip the conductor so as to prevent movement thereofduring the return movement of the sleeve 75. It will be understood, ofcourse, that various other means may be employed for intermittentlyadvancing the conductor. For example, the conductor may be fed by handagainst a measuring stop 84 secured to the frame 10.

In the operation of the above described apparatus, a predeterminedlength of the ends of the conductor.

conductor is advanced through the normally open jaw members 1a and 15and the cooperating guide fingers 58 in the manner hereinbeforedescribed. The lever 38 is thereafter moved in a counterclockwisedirection (Fig. 1) thus closing the jaw members 14 and 15 and thereaftercausing them to be moved downwardly (Fig. 2) to the position shown inFig. 4. During this movement of the jaw members, a portion ofpredetermined length is severed from the end of the conductor by thesevering blade 46 and the severed portion is inserted in the slots 57 ofthe strippers 56, whereupon the strippers are simultaneously movedoutwardly by the cam 53, thereby stripping the insulation from the Uponthe return movement of the lever 38 the strippers 56 are returned totheir normal positions by the spring 51, and the jaw members 1 1 and 15are moved upwardly by the plunger 28, the lower jaw member stopping atthe position shown in Fig. 2, and the upper jaw member continuing tomove upwardly until the plunger 33 reaches the end of its travel to theright. By this extra movement of the upper jaw member the completedstrap wire is released and ejected by the members 62, as hereinbeforedescribed. The lever 38 is then momentarily released whereuponitisreturned to its normal or starting position by the spring pressedplunger 70 (Fig. 1) thereby permitting the ejecting members 62 to returnto their normal positions under the pressure of the spring 71.

The completed strap wires, one of which is shown in Fig. 7, comprise acentral insulated portion 85 and bared conductor end portions 86-86 ofpredetermined length, and may be used for interconnecting parts ofelectrical apparatus. If desired, the stripped sections of insulationmay be collected and used as insulating sleeves for lead-in wires in themanufacture of electrical coils and th like.

It is to be understood that the embodiment of the invention hereinillustrated and described is merely a convenient and useful form of'theinvention which is capable of various modifications without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is: i

1. In an apparatus for producinginsulated:

electrical connecting elements from an insulated electrical conductor, apair of cooperating j aw members for gripping an end portion of theconductor, means carried by one of the jaw members for severing aportion frolnthe conductor, a pan of spaced electrical conductor, meanswhereby the conductor may be advanced, spaced stripping members havingrecesses therein for receiving the conductor, a pair of aw members(heposed between said stripping members, resilient meansfor normallyholding the jaw members in an open position for receiving the conductorwhen advanced, means for closing the jaw members for holding theconductor and for moving the conductor into the recesses in saidstripping members.

3. In an apparatus for producing an insulated electrical connectingelement from an insulated electrical conductor, a pair of spacedstripping members for cutting the insulation at predetermined positionsspaced from the respective ends of the conductor section, and means formoving the stripping members outwardly simultaneously to or past theends of said section to remove the severed end portions of theinsulation from the ends of the section.

4. In an apparatus for producing electrical connecting elements from aninsulated electrical conductor, spaced apartstripping membershavingrecesses for receiving a conductor and for cutting the insulation atthepoint of reception, means for moving said stripping members with respectto the conductor for stripping the insulation from theencls thereof, andmeans for removing the conductor from said stripping members. Y o

5. In an apparatus for producing electrical connecting elements from aninsulated electrical conductor, spaced apart'strippingmembers havingrecesses'for receiving a conductor and forcuttmg the 1nsulation at -thepoint of reception, means for moving said stripping 7 members withrespect tov the conductor for "stripping the insulation from the endsthereof,means for'removing the conductor from said stripping members,and means for discharging the stripped conductor. Y

6. In anapparat'us for producing electrical 1 connecting elements froman'i'nsulated electrical conductor, spaced apart stripping membershaving recesses for receiving a-conductor :and for cuttingthe'lnsulation at the polnt of reception, means for placing theconductor in the recesses, means for moving said stripping members wlthrespect to the conductor,

and means for holding the conductor against bending. I Y Y Y 7. In anapparatus for producing electrical connecting elements from an insulatedelecmeans to remove simultaneously a predetermined portion of insulationfrom each end of the conductor to produce a straight connecting element.

10.. In an apparatus for producing an electrical connecting element froman insulated electrical conductor, a pair of members for cuttingportions of the insulation on the conductor, means 'for holding theconductor in a straight line and for bringing it into engagement withthe members, means for moving the membersin opposite directions relativeto the conductor holding means to remove 1nsulation from each end of theconductor to producea straight connecting element, and means forejecting the completed connecting element from said members. 7 a

In Witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 6th day of FebruaryA. D.

1929. a 4 CHARLES OTTO KNUUTI.

trical conductor, spaced apart stripping members havingrecessesforreceiving a-conductor and for cuttmg the insulation at the point ofreception, means for placing the conductor Qto hold it straight and formoving it into enconnecting elements from an insulated. electricalconductor, means for recelvmg the conductor, a gripping member normallydisposed adplcent saldrecelvlng means for receiving a portion of theconductor, a plurality ductor and for bringing the conductor portioninto engagement With the stripping members, and means carried by saidgripping inember and cooperating With-said receiving means for severingthe portion from the conductor during its movement imparted by thegrippingzmember, and means for moving the stripping, members away fromeach other and from thegrippmgmember to remove 1nsula :tion from eachend of the conductor portion.

7 '9. Inan apparatus for producing an electr calconnectmg element froman insulated electrical conductor, I a pair of stripping members, meansfor gripping the conductor gagement With the stripping members, andmeans for moving the stripping members away fromeach other and from thegripping of stripping members, means-for actuating Y said grippingmember for ,gr1pp1ngthe con-

